Chapter 27

TRANSIENT (WATERFALL) ANALYSIS

RTA is ideally suited to both data capture and analysis of the short-duration events, or transients, that directly or indirectly affect machine reliability. Transient analysis (TA) is a common application of RTA. The most popular method of TA, waterfall analysis, captures a series of closely timed signatures to evaluate the transient.A waterfall, or cascade, plot like the one in Figure 27.1 is simply a display of multiple frequency-domain vibration signatures. In RTA, each signature is acquired and displayed as the event happens. Pseudo-waterfall analysis can be conducted with some general-purpose vibration instruments. However, the real-time analyzers combination of parallel multichannel signals and fast data-processing time makes it an excellent diagnostic tool.

SETUP
Most real-time analyzers provide the ability to capture and display a variety of waterfall or multiple-spectra plots that facilitate transient diagnostics. The setup procedures for this type of analysis may vary, depending on the type of instrument used. However, the following information is usually required by all: input group, load-control group, load method, and number of records.
Input Group

The input group setting defines which of the recorded data channels will be used for analysis. Typically, a real-time analyzer has between two and eight channels that can be used to record, condition, and display waterfall data.
Active Channels

Active channels are used for waterfall data collection and analysis. Those channels not designated as active are ignored. It is important to use only those channels actually
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M
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Figure 27.1 Multiple frequency-domain vibration signatures.

required for analysis, because the number of active channels directly affects the speed of data acquisition and processing, as well as the extended memory required.

Reference Channels
A reference channel is needed for multichannel analyses, such as transfer functions. Only a channel already designated as an analysis reference channel can be used as the reference channel in waterfall analysis. To add additional reference channels in the waterfall mode, reset the acquisition and analysis setup templates to include the additional channels.

Function Group
The function group setting allows selection of the waterfall analysis function that will be loaded into waterfall memory.

Mode
Mode determines which types of analysis functions are available to be waterfalls. This parameter cannot be changed on this template.

Function
Function is a pull-down box displaying the choices of functions that can be loaded into waterfall memory for the selected mode. Only one function can be selected.

Source
The source setting defines the source of data to be included in the waterfall. One option is live or real-time data, which are either directly from the machine-train or from prerecorded (taped) data. These data are single block and weighted using the selections of prior setup steps. The second option is averager data. If selected, this option provides averaged data for the waterfall display.

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In most waterfall applications, real-time data are preferred. Because the method of analysis is used predominantly for transient analysis, real-time, single-block data provides the best diagnostic capability.
Load Control

Load control options determine how data are transferred from the source-data area to the waterfall memory. The choices reflect the selected analyzer mode, data, source, and acquisition choices that have already been established as part of the previous setup functions. Options also include continuous, average recycle, delta time, percent amplitude, and delta rpm.
Continuous

Continuous control has two different functions based on whether the data source is live or averaged. Live data are transformed into the desired function and transferred to the waterfall memory as fast as the analyzer can collect and process the data. The rate of processing depends on the function, selected number of channels, and number of active displays. Data are always block processed, but with very small overlap. Averaged (AVG) data defaults to the averager control parameters (e.g., overlap, weighting, etc.). When one block of data is processed according to the averager overlap factor, the desired function is transferred to waterfall memory. For most transient-capture applications, the averaged-data option is used for the waterfall. The default values for live data are used to provide continuous data for the waterfall memory and display update.
Average Recycle

Average recycle load control is only available when the data source is from the averager. Each time the averager target count reaches the specified number, the data in the averager are copied to the waterfall memory. Each copy produces one record for each selected waterfall channel. The averager is cleared and the process begins again until the requested number of records has been copied to the waterfall memory. Average recycle forces the averager to use the linear average and count stop method. Because a linear average is used, this method is not suitable for long-duration events and should not be used except in fast-transient capture events.
Delta Time

When delta T is selected, the time increment field appears to allow the user to enter the desired time increment (i.e., seconds) in the appropriate field. When the selected time increment elapses, data in the source memory are processed and transferred to the waterfall memory. The granularity of the time increment is 10 msec.
Percent Amplitude

When the amplitude load setting is selected, an amplitude value in percent of full scale can be entered. This determines when the data from the selected source are

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transformed and transferred to the waterfall memory. When the amplitude (must be RMS value) of the first selected waterfall channel from the selected waterfall source exceeds the indicated percentage of full-scale amplitude, data from all channels are processed and copied to the Waterfall memory. This option can be used to trigger FIT generation at selected energy levels. For example, this technique could be used to capture repetitive occurrences of resonance or other abnormally high vibration levels without processing all signatures that contain normal energy levels.

Delta RFM
The delta RPM option permits selection of specific rpm intervals where the data in the selected source are processed and transferred to the waterfall memory. This method is typically used to perform runup and coastdown transient analysis. For example, the user could elect to capture a FFT for each X rpm increase during runup and each X rpm decrease during coastdown.
Load Method

The load method (i.e., continuous or stop when full) determines if waterfall memory will be loaded continuously or if loading will stop when waterfall memory is full. When loading is continuous, data wraps when waterfall memory is full. When this happens, the first FFT is dropped from the display and a new signature is added. This process continues until the user manually stops the process by pressing the stop waterfall load or hold button.
Number of Records

This parameter specifies the number of records per channel that will be collected before loading stops when using the stop when full load method, or before data wraps when using the continuous load method.

ANALVSIS
The diagnostic logic used to perform waterfall analysis is identical to that used in frequency-domain analysis. The only true difference is in the quality and timing of the data that are used. In traditional frequency-domain analysis, data are acquired periodically over long intervals (i.e., weeks or months) of time. A series of signatures is then displayed so that a comparative analysis can be made. RTA uses data that are acquired as the event happens. As a result, there is typically much more data, but its total time span is relatively short. For example, a typical transient through a critical speed, or resonant, zone may last less than 15 sec. However, the real-time data may contain 50 or more individual signatures.